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Tag: NDRRMC

Yes Virginia, their telephones work

By MARILYN MANA-AY ROBLES, VERA Files

The week past was very revealing. Filipinos again displayed resilience in the midst of tragedy. As the floods came and swept away treasured material possessions people grinned and bore it out. Some were unable to have food for days and shivered in the cold. Even the untimely death of loved ones buried in mud was taken as mere fate. Could something have been done to prevent or reduce the effect of this calamity?

Yes, something could have been done. We have a National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) if you need help. They operate 24/7.

The hotlines of NDRRMC are 911-1406, 912-2665 and 912-5668.

Official rumor mongering

Ramos
Why are high government officials so eager to release unverified information that later turn out to be false?

Spreading false information is not funny at all. Worse, it is coming from official sources.

Last Sunday, Benito Ramos, executive director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, released to media the information that a Chinese vessel rammed a Philippine fishing boat, Axl John, last June 20 on the waters near Bolinao, Pangasinan.

Four of the eight fishermen aboard Axl John were rescued but one later died. Four are still missing.

How sure was Ramos that it was a Chinese vessel? He said that was according to the fishermen who saw the markings on the ship. Apparently the name was not written in Roman alphabet which Filipinos are familiar with.